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Sunday, 2 November 2014

TLFG: 3-9 November 2014

Hello again and welcome back to TLFG.

I'm publishing this a bit earlier than normal this week as I'm going away for a few days so wanted to get it up before I left.

I'm also marking a big birthday on Wednesday and there's a good chance I'll be heading out of the country again next weekend so the next blog piece might be delayed. Please bear with me if this does happen.

Anyway, that's it from me, it's late and I need to get some sleep before travelling. Enjoy your week and don't forget that you can get all the latest ticket information for our local clubs and other big games taking place in the capital on the 'Match Ticket Info' page .

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 80 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. If I miss one that you think should get a mention then add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10

1. Arsenal v Anderlecht - it's Champions League time again and the Gunners welcome the top team from Belgium. On paper you'd expect this to be pretty straightforward for the hosts but they made heavy weather of the away match the week before last and will need to be a bit sharper here. Anderlecht also start the game knowing that defeat will put them out so should be well motivated to give it a good go.(Champions League, Tuesday 4 November, 745pm. Ticket info)

2. Queens Park Rangers v Manchester City - it's been a promising week for QPR with a win over Aston Villa and a good performance, albeit a losing one, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Next up it's reigning league champions City. When playing the big clubs, Rangers tend to produce some of their best showings and the last two matches between these sides at Loftus Road have been close. Given QPR's improvement and City's slightly more vulnerable look than normal, I think we could have another competitive game.(Premier League, Saturday 8 November, 530pm. Ticket info)

3. Millwall v Brentford - it's London derby time in the Championship as south-east meets west. Both sides are sat nicely in midtable in positions they'll probably be close to finishing in. Given they are two of the smallest clubs in the division, I would think they'd be more than happy with that. The head-to-head record between these two is very close with the Bees having won only one game more over the course of history. That lead was a lot bigger but since 1998 they haven't managed a single win against the Bermondsey club. (Championship, Saturday 8 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

4. Dagenham & Redbridge v Southport - this Saturday is FA Cup First Round day when the non-league teams to make it through the qualifying rounds get to play against professional clubs from League One and Two. One such side are Southport who are currently in the bottom half of the Conference Premier. Their lower ranking shouldn't deter them in this game as the Daggers aren't having a great time, being just three points and two places above the League Two relegation zone. The Sandgrounders are also in a decent bit of form at the moment so could pose a real threat. (FA Cup First Round, Saturday 8 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

5. Barnet v Wycombe Wanderers - this tie shows promise too. A couple of seasons ago, this would've been a league match but since then the Bees have been relegated from League Two into the Conference. Last season both sides underperformed with Wycombe almost getting relegated too. This year couldn't be more different as both sides lead the way in their respective divisions. Wycombe also play just outside London so this will have a derby flavour to it too. (FA Cup First Round, Saturday 8 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Bromley v Dartford - most non-league clubs want to draw a Football League side if they get this far but when they don't then a tie against a neighbour is the next best thing and that's what Conference South club Bromley have managed. The Darts play a few miles to the north-east in the division above, only by virtue of a reprieve, and are struggling. The Ravens, however, are well on course for promotion so only seven places separate these two in the pyramid. I fear for Dartford.(FA Cup First Round, Saturday 8 November, 3pm. Club info)

7. Boreham Wood v Wealdstone - elsewhere on Saturday we've got a north-west London derby in the Conference South. If I'm honest, I would've expected these sides to be having the reverse of the seasons they've had so far with Boreham Wood down near the bottom and the Stones pushing for promotion. However, it hasn't worked out like that and the Wood are flying high in second and really surprising people. It's a shame that their good play isn't impressing the locals with gates averaging only 290 this season. This should get a significant boost for this game though as the Stones usually travel in decent numbers. Hopefully there won't be any punch-ups as these clubs have quite poor reputations when it comes to anti-social behaviour but it's all relative so don't be put off.(Conference South, Saturday 8 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

8. Wingate & Finchley v Margate - it's been a bad week for big spending table toppers Margate who have lost back-to-back games to Enfield Town and Slough Town in the league and FA Trophy - both teams they would've been expected to beat. Next up is a trip to north London for a match against W&F who have been part of the chasing pack since the beginning. After their brilliant start, October was a disaster for them with five defeats from six in all competitions. They are still well placed though, so if they win here they'll find themselves right back in the race for a play-off place.(Isthmian League Premier Division, Tuesday 4 November, 745pm. Ticket info)

9. Hendon v Grays Athletic - the Greens are currently spearheading London's charge for the Isthmian League title with 10 wins from 18 propelling them to third in the table. Realistically, it looks like it's a two-horse race between Maidstone United and Margate but if they start to slip there's still plenty of time for Hendon to close the seven-point gap and move ahead. Essex club Grays aren't having a bad campaign either and, with games in hand, are well placed to go after a top-five spot too. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Saturday 8 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

10. Hanwell Town v Bedford Town - I'm still pinching myself that Hanwell have made such a smooth transition to Southern League football after winning promotion last season. I would never have expected them to be top after 15 games so hats off to all involved. How long they stay there is unclear but it's unlikely to be too long given that Kettering are only a point behind with two games in hand. Get down to Reynolds Field and cheer on the league leaders before it's too late.(Southern League Division 1 Central, Saturday 8 November, 3pm. Club info)

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

About Me

I'm a QPR fan and follower of Harrow Borough in the Isthmian League.
In 2010 I set up Non-League Day to help promote semi-professional and grassroots football. I'm hoping that TLFG will help provide a similar boost for football clubs around the capital.
I also worked at BBC Sport for 10 years before it relocated to Salford but decided not to go, such was my love of London.